March 14, 2003
San Diego - After finding itself down 7-0 after two innings, the San Diego State baseball team scored nine unanswered runs to claim a 9-7 victory over Utah at Tony Gwynn Stadium Friday night in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams. The win improved SDSU's overall record to 8-15 while the Utes fell to 8-8.
Aztec starting pitcher Mike Moat had a rough outing, giving up seven runs (four earned) in his two innings of work. The Aztecs defense helped the Ute cause with three errors in the first when Utah scored four times. The Utes added three in the second, the final two on a two-run homer by center fielder Mike Ciaramella.
San Diego State began its comeback in the third, scoring three times off Utah starter Sean Overholt. A bases-loaded walk to Peter Stonard was followed by a two-RBI single by Jake McLintock.
In the next inning, SDSU added two more to make it a 7-5 game. Anthony Gwynn's triple scored Rielly Embrey from second, and Gwynn later scored on a wild pitch.
Meanwhile, Aztec senior relief pitcher Erik Eigenhuis was holding the Utes in check. In his 4.2 innings of work, he allowed only two hits while striking out two. Eigenhuis is a sixth-year senior who has been hounded by injury since his freshman season of 1998, and this contest provided his longest stint since his first year at SDSU.
The Aztecs made it a one-run game in the sixth, scoring without the benefit of a hit. After Garrett Cook walked to lead off and was forced at second on a fielder's choice by Josh Allen, Gwynn walked and Landon Burt was hit by pitch to load the bases. Freshman James Guerrero then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Allen from third.
San Diego State completed its comeback in the seventh when Josh Allen's two-out double to left center scored Jake McLintock and Rielly Embrey from second and first respectively to give the Aztecs an 8-7 lead. Allen's double came off losing relief pitcher Ben Buck (0-1). SDSU added an insurance run in the eighth on a solo homer by second baseman Peter Stonard.
Drew Jenson (3-0) picked up the win in relief of Eigenhuis, throwing the final 2.1 innings. The Utes threatened in the top of the ninth with runners on second and third and one out. However, when Jared Pena tried to score from third on a wild pitch, he was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning. Jenson then struck out Mike Basham to end the game.
Jake McLintock led the Aztec offense with a pair of hits, two RBI and a run scored. It was the fourth straight game (and fifth in the last six) in which the junior from Bonita Vista has recorded two hits. In addition, outfielder Landon Burt set a new SDSU record when he was hit by pitch three times in the game.
San Diego State and Utah continue their three-game series on Saturday (March 15) with game time set for 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. That contest can be heard live on the Internet at www.goaztecs.com with Alan Horton's pregame show starting at 12:50 p.m. (PST).
San Diego State 9, Utah 7Utah 430 000 000 - 7 9 0SDSU 003 201 21x - 9 7 4Overholt, Price (4), Buck (6), Larsen (7) and UdyMoat, Eigenhuis (3), Jenson (7) and AllenW - Jenson (3-0)L - Buck (0-1)Sv - NoneHR - Utah: Ciaramella (2nd-one on) SDSU: Stonard (8th-none on)Att. - 758Time - 3:03